What's next for SeaPort?

LONG BEACH - A day after the Second+PCH project failed to gain approval from the Long Beach City Council, some who were pulling for the $320 million retail, condominium and boutique hotel complex envisioned a less-glitzy alternative.

Instead of a shopping and community gathering destination near Alamitos Bay Marina centered around a 12-story residential building - a feature that rankled many in the community - supporters of the four-year effort to make Second+PCH a reality imagined Home Depot, WalMart, Target or other big-box stores.

"It's an easy development to do," said Bill Lorbeer, a member of the Belmont Shore Parking and Business Improvement Advisory Commission. "That's what the current zoning allows."

But, he added, "I can't tell you how much worse I believe that would be for the community."

Opponents of Second+PCH, ebullient after the council voted 3-5 Tuesday against making recommended zoning and environmental changes to allow the project, called the big-box prediction a "scare tactic."

"That would be the worst thing that could be built there, that's not what would be required to be there," said Elizabeth Lambe, executive director of the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust.

The Wetlands Trust and other stake holders opposed the development for its potential impact on traffic, air quality, property values and wildlife at the nearby Los Cerritos Wetlands. They also were concerned with a "precedent-setting" rule change to permit buildings taller than the current restriction of 35 feet.

The Planning Commission approved the project and zoning changes in October and November, but the decision was appealed to the council.

Even if the council had signed off on the changes, attorneys working for the opposition group doubted the environmental alterations would have passed muster with the California Coastal Commission.

Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal said the building height and potential Coastal Commission objections factored into her no vote.

"I also didn't want to see us revisiting that time where single developments characterized the rest of a neighborhood, to its detriment," Lowenthal said.

Gary DeLong, the councilman who represents the area, said he was surprised by the vote's outcome and didn't hear objections that couldn't be addressed. DeLong was joined by council members Robert Garcia and Rae Gabelich in supporting the project.

"For example, if height was an issue, reduce the height. If traffic was the issue, reduce the size of the project," said DeLong.

"Once again, Long Beach has shot itself in the foot by not figuring out how to craft a compromise that would have resulted in tax revenues for our city and jobs for our residents."

Before the next attempt to replace the dilapidated SeaPort Marina Hotel, Lambe and others favor reworking the comprehensive planning around the 11-acre parcel. The last update was more than 30 years ago.

"That's a win for the community, that's a win for the wetlands and that's a win for developers," Lambe said.

In a separate vote on Tuesday, the council took steps in that direction.

Members unanimously decided to direct city staff to report back within 60 days on revising the Southeast Area Development and Improvement Plan. The process could take several years and cost between $500,000 and $1 million.

What's clear at the moment, though, is that the 275 residential units, 100-room hotel and 155,000 square feet of high-end retail included in the Second+PCH proposal are gone.

Raymond Lin, whose family has owned the SeaPort Marina Hotel since the early 1990s, couldn't be reached for comment Wednesday.

But Developer David Malmuth quickly left the council meeting Tuesday after the project was nixed, saying only: "There is no next. The project's done."

Lorbeer said large-scale developers will be hesitant to invest time and resources in Long Beach after observing the council's handling of Second+PCH.

"We let them spend almost $5 million working that project forward, and then in the end, we said no to them," Lorbeer said. "It sends a horrible, horrible message to the development community."